Texas governor-elect plans laws to protect residents from data centers

Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa said Thursday that Texas will introduce laws to protect residents regarding data centers, citing their impact on rural communities. Hinojosa, a Democrat who defeated Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, told CNN that data centers have moved into mostly rural communities with no rules to protect Texans. She said the state needs to halt data center activity until protections are established, and communities should have a say in how centers operate locally. Texas has become a leading region for data center development due to cheap land and pro-business policies. Abbott previously halted new data center connections to the electric grid, while Hinojosa campaigned on stopping new projects. She also requested no action on a reported sale of Boca Chica State Park to SpaceX during the transition.